M103 vs. The Double Cluster

Got another Messier Object on my quest of imaging all 110 objects (Messier Objects with an ED) with my Orion ED80. In addition stopped by the Double Cluster for a peak. M103 is located very close to Ruchbah, one of the five bright stars in the constellation Cassiopeia.

As a side note, I recently purchased the QHY-5L-II-M autoguider/planetary camera for autoguiding. So far I love this autoguider, it focuses really well on objects and quickly calibrates using PHD, even when moving on to different objects. See my recent post on the Autoguider at http://kurt-zeppetello.blogspot.com/2015/11/new-images-for-messier-quest.html.

Image 1


Image 2


M103 - Open Cluster
Location: Monroe, CTDate/Time: 12/5/15 11:00 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: QHY-5L-II-M attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5
Exposure: 13-90s, 1-120 (total exposure, 21.5 min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (label)

Image 3


Image 4


Double Cluster
Location: Monroe, CTDate/Time: 12/5/15 12:00 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: QHY-5L-II-M attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5
Exposure: 20-90s (total exposure, 30 min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10)

This was my first attempt to get an image of the comet C/2013 US10 (Catalina).  The images are from my work parking lot (Seymour High School) in southern Connecticut.  I don't consider these images to be that good, as I was hoping for better.  However, when I first looked at them I did not think I got anything, Southern CT isn't known for dark sky's and this comet isn't living up to early expectations.  It was only when I playing around with Photoshop and Picasa3 that I was able to resolve the comet.  I plan on getting respectable images with my telescope when it passes within 1 degree of Arcturus on January 1st or January 16 when it is close to the handle of the Big Dipper.

The comet became visible to viewers in the Northern Hemisphere in mid-November and is now heading away from the sun on its way back to the Oort Cloud from which its hence.  According to Kelly Beatty (Sky and Telescope) it will be closest to Earth on January 12 at a distance of 0.72 astronomical units (108 million km).

Original Image

Cropped Image

Cropped Image

Stacked and Cropped

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10)
Location: Seymour High School, Seymour, CT
Date/Time: 12/4/15 5:58 am
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Mount: Fixed Tripod
Autoguiding: none
Focal Length: 55mm
f/5.6
Exposure: 20s
ISO: 800
Post Processing: PS, Picas3
Stacking on the Last Photo: DSS (3 x 20s exposures)



http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/Web_Dec15_Catalina_BW.pdf